In Jiro Village, Kuluba Subcounty, Koboko District, bringing early learning closer to home is helping children start their learning journey earlier, build confidence, and prepare for the transition to primary school.
For many families in Jiro Village, access to education once came with a major challenge: distance. Young children had limited opportunities to learn within their community and often had to wait until they were old enough to travel the long distances to primary school. For some, this meant beginning Primary One when they were already over 10 years old.
This challenge reflects a wider gap in access to early learning in Uganda. According to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census, only 41.6% of children aged 3–5 were attending Early Childhood Education.
According to Atamati Godfrey, a Centre Management Committee (CMC) member of Jiro Home Learning Centre (HLC) and the LC1 Chairperson of Jiro Village, these barriers affected more than just when children started school. They also affected their confidence, interest in learning, and ability to remain in school.
“Before the establishment of the Home Learning Centres, children had to travel long distances to access primary schools, and some were over 10 years old before starting Primary One. This contributed to school dropout, as many children lacked confidence and interest in learning,” Godfrey explains.
The establishment of Jiro HLC has helped change this experience by bringing early learning opportunities closer to children and families within the community.
At the HLC, young children have an opportunity to learn, play and interact with others in a familiar community setting. This early exposure to learning is helping them build the confidence, interest and foundational skills they need before transitioning to primary school.
Godfrey says the difference is increasingly visible among children in the community.
“Since the introduction of HLCs, children can now access learning closer to their homes. They have developed greater confidence and interest in learning. By the time they reach primary school, they are better prepared and more motivated to continue with their education.”
A Community Investing in Its Children
Jiro HLC is not only bringing learning closer to children; it is also strengthening community participation in their education. Through the CMC, community members take an active role in the governance, management, and sustainability of the HLC.
For Godfrey, who serves both as a CMC member and the LC1 Chairperson, the changes seen among children demonstrate what can happen when early learning opportunities are rooted within the communities where children live.
The experience of Jiro shows how community-based early learning can help address barriers created by distance and delayed school entry while giving young children a stronger foundation for their education.
By bringing learning closer to home, Jiro HLC is helping children begin their education earlier, grow in confidence, and approach primary school ready and motivated to learn.
